The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-10-05
The Potatoes and the Old Man.

A deaf old man, wearing shabby
clothes and riding in market-wagon,
was slowly toiling up long hill with
his load of potatoes. drawn by poor,
bony horse. Near the foot of the hill
stood the school-house, around which
the boys were playing. AS the old
man passed, one of them said:
Lets 60 and raise the end-board of
that old mans wagon and let the pota-
toes drop out. Won't it be jolly to see
him stare when he gets to the top of
the hill and finds them gone" 2"
"All right" says one and another,
"let's CO."
These boys soon caught up with the
wagon, quietly raised the end-board,
and the potatoes dropped rapidly out
and were scattered along the dusty
road. The last bell rang and in min
ute the scholars were sitting quietly in
their seats. Delaying the opening ex-
ercise, the teacher said:
GAS I came into the school-house, /
saw an old man picking up potatoes
from the dusty road. I want to tell
you something about him. At the be-
ginning of the civil war he and his
only son. a young man of twenty
three, enlisted in the army and fought
in many battles, until at Gettysburg
he was dangerously wounded and his
son killed. 1t was six months before
he could leave the hospital to come
home, and what he suffered in trying
to live and get well can not be told.
Since that time he has had many aches
and pains, and it has been very hard
work for him to earn enough to sup
port his wife and himself. He is very
lame, and has to move slowly; it will
take him a long time to pick up his po-
tatoes. People say that he never did
mean thing in his life, and he is the
kindest man know"
At this point one of the three boys
raised his hand and said he would like
to go out and help the old man pick
up his potatoes. The two other boys
quickly raised their hands, too, and
offered to 60. The teacher looked
pleased and gave them permission
then the school went quietly on with
it's afternoons work.
It was hot day early in September,
very dry and dusty, and the sun pour
ed down upon the boys as they hur-
ried up the hill to the old man, who
was leaning with one hand on the
wagon-boX to rest.
"Mister," said one of the boys, as he
stepped bravely up. 1--WE have done a
mean thing, and we are willing to say
SO. We lifted the end-board of your
wagon to let the potatoes drop out.
Now, if you will sit down in the shade
of that tree, we will pick up all your
potatoes for you" The old man laid
his trembling hand upon the head Of
the boy, and, looking from one to the
other, said : "Well! well! my dear
boys, you have done a brave thing.
Never be ashamed to tell the truth or
confess fault. will gladly sit down
and rest, for 1 am very tired"
The boys then took the horse and
wagon and spent good hour of hard
work in undoing a mischief that took
them only few minutes to plan and
carry out.
When the boys returned to the
school the teacher said nothing to
them; but everything went Oh as usu-
al, only there seemed to be an uncom-
mon thoughtfulness and attention.
The pupils had learned a lifelong les
son. Its value consisted in the object
lesson of the three boys willingly do
ing what they could do to repair the
evil effect of mean action.